Switch-operating mechanism



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l. K. DIXON SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM w! H JJ Filed Oct. 5, 1923 Dec. 11, 1923.

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Dec. 11,1923.

011511,TED "STATES 'PATENT zomer.

ISRAEL x. Dixon', or JoHNs'rowN, PENNSYLVANIA..

` swlrcnorn'narmc Mncnamsm.

i applicati@ med october a, 1923. serial No. 666,334.

. citizen of Vthev United States, and resident of Johnstown,- in the countyof Cambria and State",` of: Pennsylvania, yhave invented certain new and useful Improvements 'in Switch-Operating Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to switch operating mechanism and more particularly "to the construction ofthe tongue operating mechanim for railway switches vand the like. A

Onev object of this inventionvisto provide al'switoh operating mechanism of 'improved constructionand having novel means whereby the switchtongue is moved into and held in switching position on the 'switch body.

'Another object is to provide a novel `form of enclosing box for the .switchl operating mechanism' which isadjustable bodily rela'- tive to theswitchtongue to 4vary the throw 'ofithe tongue.` 1 .'#Afvfurtherobject is'to provide'a switch operating mechanism 'having the novelcom'- bin'at'iom' construction and designbf parts hereinafter described and illustated'in the accompanyingI drawings.

Inthe drawings, Figure 1 is aplan', showing a' l"switch operatingl mechanism' constructed andfarranged vand applied foruse on'faswitch structure inA accordance with my invention, 'the cover plate being removed from Vthe operating mechanism for clearness. Figure 2'i`s sectional elevation the lineII-Hiof Figure 1.A

vFigure is a sectional elevation taken at taken on Iright' angles 'to 'Figure 2f on Ythev line 'IIIL-LIIIof Figure' 1. l A"Figure 4' is a' perspective view of 'one `of the spring pressed lrocker l`1neml' e1"s 'vv `iir the recess` 3,' and thel switch point on the opposite end of- 'thef tongue fis arranged to swnigfsidewise` from one side "t' the other i i Perspective View of one of, :the tcgglearms. f i i of the recessv 3 vagainst the `sides 5 and 6 of therecess 3. The switch operating mechanism forming my invention being adapted .for use with any ofthe numerousknown switch constructions, the switch isnot fully illustrated or described in detail. i

Secured on one side of the switch bod 2 by means ofthe bolts 7, 7, is a recta-nga ar hollow metal vbox creasing 8, havin open top side' which is normally close a removable lid or cover plate 9.

' Projecting downwardly from the lower side of the switch tonguefl, within the recess 11, toa point below the'bottom of the recess 3 in the switch body 2, is an integral 'lug 12 having a transverse opening therein,

in'which one end of the reach rod section 13 isy fastened by a nut '14: andlock nut 15. The opposite end of the rod 13 is screw threaded into any enlarged coupling 16 and a thim'ble o'r sleeve 17 is positioned on the rod 13 and vforms a separator which serves to hold the rod 13 rigidly position onthe lug '12 when the nuts 14 and 15 'are screwed tightly in place. vThe length of the vthimble or sleeve 17 may be varied to suit the --dimensionsl of various switches to which this switch operating mechanisml is applicable.

A second box or. casing 18 is' mounted withinthe'box or casing 8. Thebox 18 is provided with integral lugs4 19which project outwardly from thel side faces'thereo'f and are provided with screwthreaded apertures7 adapted 'to receive threaded adjusting -rods or bolts 20. The bolts or rods 20 are journaled in bearingsj21 on'the ends of the box 8 and are provided with hexagon portions 22 adapted to be engageduby 'a suitable toolwhen it is desired tol'rotate them. The

an r. 'by

box' 18 is moved longitudinally'of lthe bolts 20 and relative tothe box 8 by rotation vo f the boltsf20,' since the lugs 1 9 lServe as nuts onthe bolts. l f' 'f j I The box' 18 is provided with rocker arm supporting lugs 23 which projectinwardly from the side faces of the box and are ar'- ranged in pairs. 'I'he lower lu fof each pair of lugs ar'e 'integral with t e bottom and sides of the box. vwhile the upper `lugs are integral with the sides of the box only. The lugs 23 'terminate at theirinner en in yspaced-jaws orv ears 2 4 which-form bear- -ines for the rocker-arms'. 8 I

The rocker arm 25' is mounted for horizontale rocking movement in each pair of lugs 23. The arms comprise `a vertically disposed spindle portion 26 mounted between the ears or jaws 24 of the lugs 23, a forwardly projecting spring bearing portion 27 having a springI- re'tainin projection 28 on their inner face, an a rear-` wardly projecting toggle arm tion 29. I

A coil spring 30 is mounted between the portions 27 of .they arms 25 and tends to normally rock the arms about the `vertical axis ,of their-.spindle portions 26, thus forcing the toggle armv bearing portions '1nwardly toward each other.

A-pair. of toggle arms 31 are arranged horizontally within the box,18`, one of whlch s in en agement with each ofthe portions 9 of t e arms 25.` The toggle arms 31 terminate at i their outer ends 1n vertically spaced jaws 32 and have a knife edge bearing portion .33 extending vertically between said jaws. The inner face of the portion 29 of'each of the,;arms 25 is cut away to form ay V-shaped bearing` slot 34 adapted to receive the knife ed-ge'bearing 33 of the togglearms- 31 and theupper and 'lower `face of the rportions 29 are cut awayto form recesses' 35 for the reception of thejaws 32.

. yTheiinner endsof the toggle arms 31 terminate in cylindrical bearing portions 36 adapted to'it within and engage against vachother through an outwardly -laring fpertlire 37 in the inner endforhead38 of a'reachrod section v39. The reach rod section l39-`extends through a stuiiing box 40 in the end'iwall of the box 18 and is threaded in to the opposite end ofthe coupling 16 from the reach rod 13 and is thereby movable'with 'said rea'ch rod. A

The inner end or 4head. 38 ofthe reach rod .section 39.,hasy vertically disposed 'tongues 41 yand 42 .on ,its'up er and lower faces which extend into gui eways 43 and 4.4, respectively, on vthe upper and lower wall'sof the box 18 so as to prevent sidewise movement of said'extension.

f The box: 18 isl of oilitight structure and is adapted vtob filledwith `oil so that all the working. parts ofthe-mechanism will be immersed inoil, thus 'facilitatingtheiroperation?.t f v In .thev'operation of vswitches equipped with the improved switch .operating mech- .anisnr of thisinvention, the switch tongue 4*: is moved manually, preferably with a switch iron, frornone side tothe other of the recess in the switch body. `'With the .tongue `positioned yas shown in the draw- .ings,^-thenton`gue4- is adapted to be moved `fromlright to left.` When the tongue is moved; from the position shown to theposition *aty the opposite side ofthe `recess 3. the reach rod will bealso'moved from right to left, thus `forcing` the toggle arms 31 inwardly and causing the armsx25 to rock bearing porabout their spring 30. hen the movement of the tongue is sufficient to force the toggle arms 31 past their dead centerthe spring 30 will then exert its `force to snap the tongue through 4,the remainder of its movement spndle axis and compress the the rodsv orbolts 20 and thus move the box 18 and its` accompanying ,Jnechanism, Aincluding the reach rod, relative to fthe switch tongue This construction permits the use of amore rigid reach rod and-eliminates the necessity for an adjustable joint in the rOf-` f `lA MI claim= 1.. The combination with a switchhaving a pivoted ytongue, of a tongue 4operating mechanism comprising aV box rigidly se-v` cured `to y said switch, a `boxV mounted within said first named box and adjustablerelativej thereto, a reach rod connected .tosaid tongue and extending into said second named box, and` means within saidsecond named box Tand connected tosaid `reachrod forretaining' said tonguein "its different i positions., i

, 2. The combination with a Switch having a ypivoted tongue, of: a .tongue operating mechanism comprising a vboxqrigidlyuse,-

cured to said switch, abox -mounted within said rstynamed box and adjustablefrela tive thereto, a reach rodconnectedtosaid tongueand extending yinto said lsecond named-bex, means for adjusting said seca pivoted tongue, of a ltongue operating f mechanism comp-risin va box lri dly secured to said switc ,x an oil-t1 ht box mountedV within saidllrst named oxcand adjustable relative thereto fmeans't within saidfirstnamed "box fora justing` the'poi sition of said` second named box relat ive to said `first `narnevdbox,n reach'rod connected to said tongue and extending-into said second named box,.and means within said second vnamed box and connected ytogsaid reach rod .for retaining. said tongue in its different positions.

4. .The combinationwith a rswitchhaving a pivoted tongue,...of.a tongue operating mechanism comprising a box rigidly secured 'to said switch,anfoi1tght box mounted within said first named box and adjustable` l vond namedl box, and means within saidsecrelative thereto, a-lreach rod connected to saidtongue and extending into said Second named box, end means wlthinA said second named-box :andiconnbctedf to seid-french `rod "fao for `retaining said tongue in its different positions. 'f

5. The combination with a switch having a pivoted tongue, of a tongue operating Lmechanism comprising a box rigidly secured to said switch, a 'box mounted within said first named box and adjustable relative thereto, a reach rod connected to said tongue and extending into said second named box, means for adjusting said second named box` and spring tensioned means within said second named box and connected to said reach rod for retaining said tongue in its different positions. f

6. The combination with a switch having a pivoted tongue, of a tongue operating mechanism comprising a box rigidly secured to said switch, an oil-tight box mounted within said first named box and adjustable relative thereto, a stuiiing box mounted in the end wall of said second named box ynearest said switch, a pair of horizontally within said first named box and adjustable relative thereto, a stuiiing box mounted in the end wall of said sec-ond named box nearest said switch, a pair of horizontally disposed rocker arms mounted in said second named box for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, a spring interposed between the forward ends of said arms, a pair of toggle arms engaged with the rear ends of said arms, a reach rod connected'to said switch tongue and projecting into said second named box, a head on the inner end of said reach rod having an opening into which the ends of said toggle arms are adapted to project, and cylindrical bearing portions on the ends of said toggle arms adapted to engage each other through said opening in said reach rod head.

8. The combination with a switch having a pivoted tongue, of a tongue operating mechanism comprising a box rigidly secured to said switch, an oil-tight box mounted Wit-hin said first named box and adjustable relative thereto, a stuing box mounted in the end wall of said second named box nearest said switch, Ia pair of horizontally disposed rocker arms mounted in said second named box for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, a spring interposed between the forward ends of said arms, a pair of toggle arms engaged with the rear ends of said arms, a reach rod connected to said switch tongue and projecting into said second named box, a head on the inner end of said reach rod having an opening into which the ends of said toggle arms are adapted to roject, cylindrical bearing portions on t e ends of said toggle arms adapted to engage each other through said opening in said reach rod head, and'means for guiding said reach rod.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set m hand.

y ISRAEL K. DIXON. 

